Cobra #9 – Review

By: Mike Costa (writer), Alex Cal (artist), J. Brown (colors), Neil Uyetake (letters), Carlos Guzman (assistant editor) & John Barber (editor)

The Story: Cobra has taken over a SE Asian country.  The Joes want to stop them and the new Cobra Commander’s lieutenants are fighting amongst themselves.

Three Things:

1. The story is really kinda rocking. – There’s a LOT to enjoy about the “story” aspect of this comic and the overall Cobra Command story-arc.  For one thing, we readers don’t know what to expect at all.  That is so rare in comics.  Not only is IDW’s GI Joe universe pretty new (~40 issues) since they completely rebooted it a few years ago, but to say that the naming of a new Cobra Commander ushered in a new status quo would be a huge understatement.  In comics, “classic” villains become less frightful the better we get to know them.  Sure, some writers are still able to pull a rabbit out of the hat and make Joker scary, but having a villain who is still 90% unknown is WAY more effective.  I love that we have no real idea what the new Cobra Commander is up to; he clearly has a plan, but he isn’t sharing it with us yet.  And, all the other classic Cobras like Baroness, Destro, Major Bludd, etc. are new enough that we don’t really know what to expect from them either.

2. Shame about the art. – I’ve been mostly complementary about the job that Alex Cal has done of the last few GI Joe issues he’s drawn, but this was a big step back.  Large chunks of the comic are still solidly “competent”, but there are a few other places where the sequential storytelling just falls apart.  Basically, if the panel consists of a head or a person talking, the art is fine.  But if there is action, there are problems.  One arises during a big Snake Eyes and Agent Helix fight where I couldn’t tell what the hell happened because a few panels were unclear.  IDW has been putting some inexperienced artists on these Joe titles and I think they’d be better served by going back to a 8-panel grid as the basic storytelling tool.  Gotta walk before you can run!

WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Wolverine and the X-Men #4 – I love the barely controlled chaos that is the Jean Grey School!  Seeing the faculty trying to control this truly bizarre mash-up of students is just a delight.  I hate to advocate for new X-series, but wouldn’t a “New Mutants: 2012” series with Idie, Broo, Quentin Quire, the Apocalypse guy, Kid Gladiator & Warbird be fun?  Two things are really making this series stand out….  One, the fact that it doesn’t have that stick-up-the-ass seriousness that has traditionally pervaded the X-books forever.  Two, it’s had GREAT art.  Nick Bradshaw is like the second coming of Art Adams.  Just enjoy it people!  Honorable Mention: Amazing Spider-Man #677, Scalped #55, Severed #6.

Most Anticipated: Batman #5 – The talent on this title is sooooo top-notch.  We all like to rave about Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo (and I’m as big of a fan as anyone), but inker Jonathan Glapion and colorist FCO Plascencia are hot stuff too.  Trust me, if either of those less heralded guys wasn’t going their job well….folks would be complaining about how “Capullo has lost it”.  This has been a wonderful series since the relaunch and just the talent alone makes it my most anticipated for the week.

Other Picks: Cobra #9, Morning Glories #15, Amazing Spider-Man #678, Daredevil #8, Legion of Monsters #4, Superior #7

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Scalped #55 – As this amazing series concludes, Jason Aaron is really, really playing for keeps.  Big, big shocking things happen in this issue that will stun long-time readers (are there any kind, when comes to Scalped?) and have you DYING for the next issue.  There have been times over the last year or so where Scalped seem to spin its wheels a bit, but this is NOT one of those times. As we head into the final arc, Scalped is burning at a fever pitch.  This is stunning work and a story where it’s hard to believe that things will turn out well for anyone.  Just an amazing read, all-around.

Most Anticipated: Wonder Woman #5 – It’s pretty well established at this point that Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang’s Wonder Woman is bloody brilliant and one of the true overachievers of DC’s new 52.  Well, the end of last month’s issue just dropped what I like to call a “shit just got real” moment.  I can’t see where the series goes from here and give the gravity of last month’s events, I think Diana is going to be roughing some people up.  If you’re not reading this book, you really should be, and if you’re one of those people who’ve never been interested in WW, know that this is unlike any WW comic perhaps– ever.

Other Picks: Batman #5, Amazing Spider-Man #678, Avengers #21, Daredevil #8, Invincible Iron Man #512, Moon Knight #9, Uncanny X-Men #5